jessica sanchez

Jessica Sanchez was born in Chula Vista, California on August 4, 1995 to Gilbert and Editha Sanchez . She was raised in Eastlake, Chula Vista, along with two younger brothers. Her father, a Mexican American originally from Texas, is a U.S. Navy veteran who fought in the Iraq War, served in Afghanistan and, as of April 2012, was expected to soon be deployed to Singapore. Her mother is a Filipino from Bataan province in the Philippines. Her maternal grandfather. Inspired by her Roman Catholic grandmother, Sanchez carries a rosary everywhere and prays quietly before going on stage. When 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez says she’s been singing her whole life, she means it. By age 11, the powerhouse singer had already appeared on America’s Got Talent, where she wowed with her cover of “I Surrender.” Five years later, she’s still stealing the show — this time as a finalist on American Idol Season 11.